Broken Arrow, OK - new police radio system blocks public scanner access

[Thunderbolt]

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — A new digital radio system using "OpenSky" technology has cleared the way for a greatly improved ability for police and fire departments to communicate with other jurisdictions.

BA's new police radio system blocks public scanner access | Tulsa World

 

[baysurfer]

Not clear?

Great article, thank you for sharing.

Only had one question. Are they really encrypting the radio traffic, or is it just in a Digital format that you have to have a digital scanner that can decode that?

Thanks
Russ
K8RUS

 

[rdale]

OpenSky cannot be scanned.

 

[RadioDitch]

OpenSky cannot be scanned.

It has successfully been decoded with DSD, but only under certain conditions.

 

[rdale]

Agreed - but I was addressing the question prior.

 

[nunyax]

I believe the system is combination of P25 DTRS for voice and OpenSky for data. The article calls it VIDA. Harris installed a similar combined system near here in Spalding County, GA using the same name. This was from the press release for Spalding's system:

Based on the M/A-COM VIDA (Voice Interoperability Data Access) network platform, Spalding County’s communications system is a hybrid network consisting of multiple M/A-COM technologies. P25IP technology will be deployed for voice communications, OpenSky for mobile data communications and NetworkFirst for interoperability with neighboring county and agency legacy systems

 

[RadioDitch]

I believe the system is combination of P25 DTRS for voice and OpenSky for data. The article calls it VIDA.

So then if it's P25IP voice, as long as it's not encrypted, it's monitorable, and kind of defeats the purpose they were aiming for.

 

[KE5HMV]

Does someone have a link to more Opensky technical info?

 

[nd5y]

Harris PSPC | OpenSky

 

[nunyax]

So then if it's P25IP voice, as long as it's not encrypted, it's monitorable, and kind of defeats the purpose they were aiming for.

From the linked article in the OP's original post:

But the public is excluded from hearing any dispatch scanner feeds because of its digital encryptions.

 

[wx5uif]

Broken Arrow has been OS since I've lived here for almost two years... I read this article like they just switched over today. ><

 

[poltergeisty]

It has successfully been decoded with DSD, but only under certain conditions.

What is DSD? Thanks.

 

[W6KRU]

What is DSD? Thanks.

Digital Speech Decoder (software package) - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[SCPD]

It has successfully been decoded with DSD, but only under certain conditions.

Details please! You did so yourself?

 

[Russell]

Sooooo, open sky allows them to communicate with lots of other agencies?

 

[bfperez]

Sooooo, open sky allows them to communicate with lots of other agencies?

LOL, that was my favorite part.

They went with a proprietary, closed system in order to better interoperate

Where I live, Las Vegas Metro is OpenSky.

I had to chuckle when I heard some NV Highway Patrol traffic on their (EDACS) system where a trooper and his (presumed) supervisor were talking about what he was doing today and the sup asked "Do you have a Metro radio?", trooper replies that he does, and they talk about what channel he needs that radio to be on for coordinating, which channel is the TAC channel, etc.

Granted, NHP is on the NSRS EDACS system and nearly all of Clark County are on the SNACC (SmartZone) system, so inter operating with HPD of NLVPD might have also required a "Henderson" or "North Las Vegas" radio.
If this was Washoe County where NSRS is run ON the county EDACS system (as I understand), inter operating is as simple as changing 'channels'.
I thought about it and laughed again when I realized that SNACC, NSRS, and even eventually the Washoe County system will all go P25, while LVMPD will be the one agency where another radio is apparently needed to inter operate with them.

As best I can tell, going with OpenSky for interoperability is a bit like switching all of your vehicles to nitro-methane and promoting how flexible your fueling options are now.

 

[ilgrant]

It has successfully been decoded with DSD, but only under certain conditions.

That is news to me! Please provide more information.

 

[nunyax]

OpenSky is only being used for data on this system. P25 is for voice. However, if it's encrpyted P25 voice like the article mentions, then it might as well be all OpenSky as for as monitoring goes, even with DSD.

After a comprehensive bidding process, Broken Arrow selected Harris Corporation to deploy an end-to-end IP-based VIDA network with an 800 MHz OpenSky trunked radio/data system, coupled with an 800 MHz P25 voice/data trunked system overlay.

Full Harris press release for Broken Arrow here:​

http://www.pspc.harris.com/media/ECR - 7783 Broken Arrow-pg_tcm27-15923.pdf​

 

[N5TWB]

A direct inquiry to a BAPD officer (distant relative) did not result in a favorable review of system performance or reliability, especially from an officer safety perspective. According to him, the recently-hired chief has assured the rank-and-file officers that he will listen to their concerns about the comm system.

 

[ka5lqj]

It's NOT the criminals that they are trying to block, it's John Q. Public they don't want to know
which doughnut shoppe or Circle K they're goofing off at, LOL!

If your eyes are glazed, you're eating too many doughnuts.

They're Hot, Hot, hot at 4 o'clock. Light as a feather with a hole in the
middle.....Southern Maid's ROFL!

GOD BLESS,
Regards,

Don/KA5LQJ